peterson



(No Model.)

A. BRITTON & J. PETERSON. TOY.

No. 544,526. Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

ABE BRITTON AND JOHN H. PETERSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1\l'o. 544,526, dated August 1 3, 1895. Application filed October 17, 1894:. V Serial No. 526,153- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toys, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

Our invention consists of a toy of simple and inexpensive construction adapted to pocket a ball placed on the floor or ground and comprising a chambered body with jaws of pliable material on the base thereof and a carrying-cord, whereby, when the body. is properly dropped, the jaws strike the ball and direct the same into the body, the toy being also serviceable as a return-ball, owing to the elastic nature of the carrying-cord.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a toy embodying our invention. Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a section on line a: as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a body which is preferably of the form of a ball or sphere and having a chamber B, which is open at bottom and communicates at top with the discharge-opening O, the latter being in the wall of said body, at or near the upper part thereof. Connected with the lower part of said body are jaws D, which are formed of pliable, flexible, or elastic material and face each other, so as to partly cover the bottom of the chamber B, while they may openint-o said chamber when pressed upwardly from below. 7

E designates a cord which is attached to the top of the body A and provided with a loop or ring for the insertion of one of the fingers when the toy is operated.

F designates a ball which is to be pocketed, the same being placed on the ground or floor, the operation of the toy then being as follows: r r

The body A is held over the ball, as shown in Fig. 1, and then dropped, whereby if the body is true or nearly true over said ball the jaws strike the ball and are opened by the same, the ball then entering the chamber, af ter which the jaws close and retain the ball within said chamber as pocketed. Itis evident that when the body is overturned or turned sidewise the ball may be removed and then again placed on the ground or floor in order to be repocketed.

As the cord E is made elastic, the toy may be operated after the manner of a return-ball if so desired. The jaws D may be integral portions of the hemisphericalshell or rim G, which is fitted over the lower portion of the body A and secured thereto; but to the size or shape of said shell we do not limit ourselves.

In order to cause the ball F to retain its position when placed on the ground or floor, the same is loaded, as at H, the effect of which is evident. v

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Lettors Patent, is-

1. A body having a receiving chamber therein, and jaws of pliable material freely closing the bottom opening of said chamber, and attached to the body about said opening, substantially as described.

2. A toy formed of a body with a receiving chamber,and a discharge opening therein, jaws freely closing the bottom opening of said chamber, and a suspension cord, said jaws being formed of pliable material with an attaching rim, substantially as described.

3. The body A, having the receiving chamber B, and discharge opening 0 therein, in combination with the jaws D, which extend across the bottom of said chamber, and are formed of pliable materialsecured to said body, substantially as described.

4. A body having a receiving chamber, jaws with a rim attached to said body, a suspension cord and a loaded ball, said jaws freely closing the bottom opening 'of said chamber, and being formed of pliable material, and the parts combined substantially as described.

ABE BRITTON. Y

. JOHN H. PETERSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, R. H. GRAESER. 

